Should you even bother with JHP's in .380

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.380 is unacceptable for any kind of defensive use. Ball doesn't penetrate worth a poop. And those flippity flap Hornady zing pow defensive bullets probably peneterate even worse. The barely tickle the Gel in that TV commercial of thiers.

Bringing a 380 to a gunfight is a good way to end up DEAD, Cleatus!!!
 
demigod .380 is unacceptable for any kind of defensive use. Ball doesn't penetrate worth a poop. And those flippity flap Hornady zing pow defensive bullets probably peneterate even worse. The barely tickle the Gel in that TV commercial of thiers.

Bringing a 380 to a gunfight is a good way to end up DEAD, Cleatus!!!
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Really?:rolleyes:
Facts prove otherwise.

Heck, our Governor used his Ruger LCP and dropped a 500lb rabid coyote with one shot from 1/4 mile away while out walking his dog. Not only did he get 36" of penetration, the FangFace Nytrillium hollow point expanded to 2' diameter on exit. The flames from the Nytrillium actually cooked the coyote from the inside out. The dog was severly traumatized and required counseling.

ANY gun is better than no gun.

I would still like to know why a .380 hollow point that doesn't expand somehow penetrates less than a .380 fmj that doesn't expand.:rolleyes:
 
So did you buy one of the those Perry autographed LCPs, Dogtown?

I have those 500 lb coyotes walking in back of my house here in Bexar county.

Made me laugh. :D
 
I just love definitive statements that a .380 is not good enough with anything. The only clothes in the wintertime you have to worry about not penetrating are Kevlar or other bullet proof vests. :rolleyes:

I had one of my more opinionated friends going on about penetration and other marginal .380 nonsense. To shut him up we took a down jacket, a sweater, and an old heavy tough motorcycle jacket and put them on an old maniken. It shut him up, and funny thing was the hollowpoints were very sobering in terms of the devastation. The clothes and jacket get the bullet opening up before it gets through and you have hardcore entry damage.

This idea that a .380 is so marginal that clothes and jackets are rendering it ineffective is.....silly.

Trust me when I say a CorBon .380 is not going to be something that your BG is going to walk away from any easier than anything else you make a good hit with. Now if you don't trust your ability to hit where and what you want under pressure go ahead and ramp up the firepower.

I'll take a .380 hollowpoint over a 9mm solid point anyday.

The idea that a .380 is going to do no more than mildly annoy someone is.... I'll be good. :rolleyes:

Demigod, nevermind, you aren't worth responding to.
 
I alternate the two rounds in my Kel-Tec 380 magazine to get the best of both worlds!
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I rotate between HP and FMJ as well. Overall I'm not worried that a .380 HP won't expand or that it won't penetrate enough, but I also like the idea of using a FMJ on smaller SD rounds.
 
I have found those who shoot a lot or have owned a variety of calibers always respects the .380. Heck, they respect a .22 magnum! I carry one of those sometimes!

I carry a Walther .380 every day loaded with JHP.
 
That was a good way to put it ironman, those who shoot a lot of things.

Mostly those who have decided they aren't adequate also make snap judgements about a lot of other things, once their mind is made up it ain't a changin.

I used my Beretta 86 Cheetah for many many things, one was shooting a magazine two or three times a week off the back deck at a heavy burn barrel. It was 55 yards away and I shot 5 inch groups with all nine shots. The other noticeable thing was that bullets went through both sides, solid or JHP's, at different times I'd have 2x4's, 2x6's, 4x4's etc in the barrel. I was always looking to see what kind of damage and penetration bullets had after going through the metal sides.
 
Funny you mentioned the Beretta 86,,,

I carry a 2" Model 36 snubbie most of the time,,,
Other times I carry a 3" model 36 ladysmith.

Stop laughing! :p

I have a range buddy who shoots a Beretta Model 87 quite a bit,,,
I have fallen totally in love with that wonderful .22 pistol,,,
So I am going to buy me one this spring.

Now if I have a .22 Cheetah,,,
I will also need a .380 Cheetah,,,
That's only seems reasonable, doesn't it?

I'll probably start carrying it on occasion.

The question of what type of ammo,,,
Will depend on how reliably it feeds hollow points.

If it will feed HP ammo reliably I'll use them,,,
If it won't then it's FMJ for me.

I believe that the .380 is adequate for self defense purposes,,,
Even if it ain't shooting super-mushroom bullets,,,
It will take care of business well enough.

Aarond
 
I truly, honestly never believed in caliber vs. appropriate defense round argument.
I mean really, for decades people used .380, even .32 caliber, literally all around globe. Meaning they do the job, as long as you do yours.
I have seen several people that could not hit squat with 9mm s, .45 acp s, yet they were still arguing about the subject of "power". (And custom jobs, and how great a specific brand is, and placing a target for handgun training to the distances for rifle training...etc)
I mean "what's the point man, just look at your target!"

On the other hand, as an individual if you do not feel comfortable with these calibers, then by all means do not buy them. Buy a .45, or buy a 9mm as a "minimum powered defense round". Buy a 10 mm, if you feel better.

But at the end, I believe this is just a personal choice, not an argument over "appropriate defense round".
This argument is just good for, "having a good time". As long as you hit your target, if it is necessary, pull the d..n trigger twice, for Gods sakes...


All the best
 
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I truly, honestly never believed in caliber vs. appropriate defense round argument.
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Me neither. It's an American phenomenon that holds little weight elsewhere in the world. When you actually read about and analyze real pistol shootouts caliber never really plays a role in who dies and who survives. It's bullet placement, usually.

But whatever people feel comfortable with when it comes to choosing their SD weapon is what they should carry. If it makes you feel safer carrying a large bore caliber than go for it.
 
I had one of my more opinionated friends going on about penetration and other marginal .380 nonsense. To shut him up we took a down jacket, a sweater, and an old heavy tough motorcycle jacket and put them on an old maniken. It shut him up, and funny thing was the hollowpoints were very sobering in terms of the devastation. The clothes and jacket get the bullet opening up before it gets through and you have hardcore entry damage.
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That pretty much sums up my opinion on the matter. Well said. Always trust real tested results, not an opinion, based on google searches, that someone else said.
 
My CCW is stoked with factory hardball, now. With a teeny, little bullet like that, I'm more interested in the certainty of feeding and penetration, than expansion.
 
I load my S&W Bodyguard 380 alternately with Cor-Bon DPX hp and Buffalo Bore 95 grain flatnose FMJ. I have ACTUALLY shot game with these. Immediately after taking deer and antelope I shoot them in the lung cavity with my personal protection guns. I angle the shot from the last rib to the off shoulder. The antelope resulted in 18" of penatration with the DPX ammo with text book expansion. On another antelope at same angle using Remington Golden Saber's. Only 8" of penatration on one shot and 9" on the other. Classic mushroomed bullet. A mule deer I shot broadside in the lungs twice with the Cor-Bon DPX's. Both bullets penatrated heavy winter hide and hair, @11" of lung tissue and exited through the tough hide and hair. I shot the deer two times in the neck and spine using Buffalo Bore 95 grain flatnose fmj's. Both bullets failed to exit the spine. Just a little real world experence.
 
I don't disagree with the results of shooting the carcass of deer or antelope but I think the shooting of the dead animal will show more penetration than on actual living targets. The lung tissue is no longer filled with blood and the muscles are flaccid slightly changing the bullet performance. I've used my carry pistol to dispatch injured deer after vehicle-deer accidents using center chest hits. I feel this is very realistic of results from a defense shooting. Definitely quite revealing as to performance on live targets similar in size to humans. I seriously doubt anyone wants to be shot with any caliber no matter how small. How quickly the 380 will put an attacker out of commission is more dependant on hit location than more powerfull rounds. My son just bought a 380 but we haven't had a chance to test it much-hope it works OK.
 
Just a thought....

This is just a thought. Does anyone have experience in using 90 or 100 grain Copper Plated bullets as self defense rounds. Have not tested them but they may be more reliable than hollow points as in some pistols they will Jam. The copper plating is softer than the FMJ and may even expand after hitting the intended target.

As I said earlier, I have not done any testing but if any one has had any experience, I would like to hear it.

Thank you for taking time to respond to my question.

Merry Christmas

Lemmon
 
MOBUCK, I as well have dispatch many wounded animals, as I was a big game guide for years. Probably shot 10 to 12 animals a year. However I have to disagree with your view of dead animal testing. I agree that long dead animals are different, but the animals I shot had been dead less than one minute, all tissues were full of blood and the muscle were fresh and the hide soft and warm. As close to real life as humanely possible IMHO.
 
30-30:
Thank you. I will likely swap mags, putting the DPX in the pistol and the Rem 102s as the stand-by.

I have a lot of faith in the DPX design and execution, and a lot of data in larger calibers.

Just didn't have any hard data in the .380 cartridge to move them up to the first string. Your post has given me some good info.
 
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